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Topic Review (Newest First)

06-26-2014 04:53 PM

CarolinaRose

Quote:

Originally Posted by wolfy dog

I do not play with the dogs inside the house so they will be calmer inside. I have started this regimen with D and it is working well. Also I crate him off and on when I am home so working mode is basically on idle inside. He is from WL and I can get him as crazy or laid back as I want. But he will never be a couch potato and gets cabin fever when not worked/played/exercised enough, but that is what a GSD is all about. I can get away with not doing anything special for one day. He is 7 months old. Hope this helps. I was just as concerned as you before going into these lines but it has been good.

I've actually thought about this! I had a thought that if you take the puppy and go wild-and-crazy outside, but then ask them to settle down immediately inside, and then repeat a few times, the pup would get the idea and know to settle down in the house. Of corse, I think this also means remembering not to play tug or anything else inside that might get the pup riled up.

Lol, aww, he lets you have 1 day off a week? So generous of him! Well, he's also only 7mos old. He's still a puppy. And we all know there's no such thing as a low energy puppy. Well, unless their sick, but we don't want sick puppies!

But do you think he'll need to keep up this pace when he's 2-3 or older? And do you think that at some point a high energy level needs to be maintained, or if at some point an older dog might be content to lay around and settle in with his owner after he gets his daily walks in? Dogs are creatures of habit after all, maybe an older dog could get in the habit of kicking back and relaxing?

06-26-2014 01:28 PM

Gwenhwyfair

My female is 74 pounds, she is within breed standard, yet I am told by all the GSD 'experts' out there (you know the ones at petsmart who had a GSD when they were kids) that she is way too small to be a 'real' GSD.

LOL! Sometimes you just can't win.

Most WGSLs are within breed standard because *most* of them are competed in conformation classes. That does create more conformity with size, at least within breed standard. A lot of working lines do not have conformation titles so I've seen them run the gamut size-wise.

I get the bit about researching, I'm the same way. Then you end up with analysis paralysis! Been there too.

Good luck to you, it's a fun journey.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarolinaRose

Thanks for the reply Gwenhwyfair. I probably spend a little too much time researching. It's pretty much an obsession at this point. And considering the option for even bringing a GSD of any line into my life is so far off in the future, I should probably cool down and scale it back a bit. But it's like a bag of potato chips for me. "Ok, just one more page. Oh, that looks interesting, I'll stop after THAT page. Oh, I should probably know this too, one more page . . ."

I'll probably be sticking to WorkingLines, mainly East of some sort. I know that it's possible to find some non-extreme WGSL, but their few and far between for me. And, all aesthetics aside, I feel like their just BIGGER. I've never seen one in real life but they just look way bigger than a WL. A moderately sized GSD, maybe around 70 - 80 lbs for a boy, is really as big as I want to get as far as dogs go. Some WGSL's, or even just WGWL, look like they could be pushing 100lbs or more. If that's the case (looks can be deceiving) that's just more dog than I want to handle or FEED!

I have seen some nice looking West German/East German crosses that I wouldn't mind looking at, assuming the drives and temperament where about what I'm looking for. They're just hard to pinpoint. And Google Image search can only help so much =/

06-26-2014 12:00 PM

wolfy dog

I do not play with the dogs inside the house so they will be calmer inside. I have started this regimen with D and it is working well. Also I crate him off and on when I am home so working mode is basically on idle inside. He is from WL and I can get him as crazy or laid back as I want. But he will never be a couch potato and gets cabin fever when not worked/played/exercised enough, but that is what a GSD is all about. I can get away with not doing anything special for one day. He is 7 months old. Hope this helps. I was just as concerned as you before going into these lines but it has been good.

06-26-2014 11:17 AM

CarolinaRose

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gwenhwyfair

Based on the good and bad stories I've read and know of personally whether you go with a WL or SL above all finding the right breeder is most important.

A breeder who really knows the lines and their lines can help you pick the right pup temperament and energy wise in either line.

Over the last few years I've come to know many people (including my trainer) who have great success having a WL and having it as a family companion who lives in the house. I also know personally (and we have seen on this board) people who get WLs and for various reasons it doesn't work out, but in a nutshell it ends up being too much dog (see the recent thread in the 'Urgent' subforum here: http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum...ml#post5670905)

I was going to get a WL but ended up with a WGSL. I had an ASL years ago. While my WGSL isn't like the WLs I've hung around and trained around she's definitely more like WL temperament/energy then my ASL was. I feel fortunate to have gotten her as she was for me a good 'beginner' GSD. Through her I've learned and now (hopefully) will someday have a working line too.

As you have discovered there are extremes in both lines. You can find a WL with a more moderate temperament AND you can find a showline with more moderate conformation and good enough working ability to do IPO at a lower level. With either you will really need to hunt for the breeder that can provide you with the closest match possible you are looking for.

What I like about my WGSL is she really loves her family, very pack oriented, she's aloof but neutral to strangers. We were going to do IPO but unfortunately she's got HD so now we are doing tracking and she LOVES it. (btw just in case, if a breeder tells you WLs or DDR dogs never get HD, don't walk away run....that simply is not true, a false sales pitch).

It also depends on your goals, do you want to be really tops at IPO or another bite sport? If not don't throw the WGSLs out of the picture quite yet.

No matter which choice you make I really, REALLY commend you for having done your research so well and thoroughly. I'm certain you will find the right pup and what fun it is too!

Thanks for the reply Gwenhwyfair. I probably spend a little too much time researching. It's pretty much an obsession at this point. And considering the option for even bringing a GSD of any line into my life is so far off in the future, I should probably cool down and scale it back a bit. But it's like a bag of potato chips for me. "Ok, just one more page. Oh, that looks interesting, I'll stop after THAT page. Oh, I should probably know this too, one more page . . ."

I'll probably be sticking to WorkingLines, mainly East of some sort. I know that it's possible to find some non-extreme WGSL, but their few and far between for me. And, all aesthetics aside, I feel like their just BIGGER. I've never seen one in real life but they just look way bigger than a WL. A moderately sized GSD, maybe around 70 - 80 lbs for a boy, is really as big as I want to get as far as dogs go. Some WGSL's, or even just WGWL, look like they could be pushing 100lbs or more. If that's the case (looks can be deceiving) that's just more dog than I want to handle or FEED!

I have seen some nice looking West German/East German crosses that I wouldn't mind looking at, assuming the drives and temperament where about what I'm looking for. They're just hard to pinpoint. And Google Image search can only help so much =/

06-24-2014 09:03 AM

Gwenhwyfair

Based on the good and bad stories I've read and know of personally whether you go with a WL or SL above all finding the right breeder is most important.

A breeder who really knows the lines and their lines can help you pick the right pup temperament and energy wise in either line.

Over the last few years I've come to know many people (including my trainer) who have great success having a WL and having it as a family companion who lives in the house. I also know personally (and we have seen on this board) people who get WLs and for various reasons it doesn't work out, but in a nutshell it ends up being too much dog (see the recent thread in the 'Urgent' subforum here: http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum...ml#post5670905)

I was going to get a WL but ended up with a WGSL. I had an ASL years ago. While my WGSL isn't like the WLs I've hung around and trained around she's definitely more like WL temperament/energy then my ASL was. I feel fortunate to have gotten her as she was for me a good 'beginner' GSD. Through her I've learned and now (hopefully) will someday have a working line too.

As you have discovered there are extremes in both lines. You can find a WL with a more moderate temperament AND you can find a showline with more moderate conformation and good enough working ability to do IPO at a lower level. With either you will really need to hunt for the breeder that can provide you with the closest match possible you are looking for.

What I like about my WGSL is she really loves her family, very pack oriented, she's aloof but neutral to strangers. We were going to do IPO but unfortunately she's got HD so now we are doing tracking and she LOVES it. (btw just in case, if a breeder tells you WLs or DDR dogs never get HD, don't walk away run....that simply is not true, a false sales pitch).

It also depends on your goals, do you want to be really tops at IPO or another bite sport? If not don't throw the WGSLs out of the picture quite yet.

No matter which choice you make I really, REALLY commend you for having done your research so well and thoroughly. I'm certain you will find the right pup and what fun it is too!

06-23-2014 09:42 PM

CarolinaRose

Ok, so that's encouraging. Maybe some people were exercising their dogs more than they needed to. It is after all a working breed and in theory if you ask the dog to go all day it should be able to without problem. I wonder how many of the dogs mentioned would have actually gone batty and started causing problems after a day or two without an outlet.

Merciel: Something tells me you meant to say more than you actually did. Did the internet eat the rest of your post?

06-23-2014 06:04 PM

Merciel

Yes, it's possible. Go out and meet dogs. You'll find plenty of GSDs who meet that description, but you really need to meet them in person. Words are too inexact; my mental image of "moderate energy level" and "able to work" may not match up perfectly with yours.

But however you define those words,

06-23-2014 05:02 PM

gsdsar

All of my GSD have been what you are looking for. Maybe I have been lucky. But none of my dogs have ever required 2-3 hours a day of exercise. They all settle in the house, will work when asked, but don't generally drive me batty.

Mine have been from every "type" except ASL.

I think it's in your best interest to find an IPO or other working sport, that you like and start meeting dogs. Talk to owners, and learn. Waaaay before the thought of breeding enters your mind. I would also start volunteering with a local GSD rescue. Get as much experience with the breed as possible. Don't get a dog thinking to breed it. Get your first GSD to learn and explore and experience what it is you like and don't like in the breed.